Page 10 of Simply Complicated
I stop and stare for a moment, studying how each man has taken his position. It’s not a faux-trial mockup, nor is it them being passionate about the football game. Something serious happened between the pair and I’m curious as to why Savior acts like he wants to kill his father.
“They always get into it,” Marc comes up from behind, “it’s nothing new. You get used to it, really.”
I remember Savior’s eyes when he briefly talked about being embarrassed by a parent. I had no idea he referred to his father. “What’s this one about?”
Marc shrugs. “The weather? Parking? A potential case? Who really knows? They’ll fight it out for a few days and then it’ll be back to normal like nothing ever happened. They’re complicated. There’s a lot of love between them but there’s also a lot of resentment. One day, you’ll know the full story.” He turns to me. “A few of us are going out for Happy Hour. Do you want to join?”
I finally peel my eyes away from Savior. He looks like he’s about to cry but pride is stopping him. “Yeah, that sounds great.”
~~~~~
“Why is a sista from Inglewood here at this law firm?” Marc begins over beer and wings.
I chuckle as I munch on an onion ring. “We all gotta leave the ‘hood one way or another. Everyone keeps talking about leaving the hood but no one ever does.”
“I feel you. I grew up in Baldwin Hills. It’s not a bad place and I still have a lot of great memories there. My mom and pops still live there. But man, growing up…I couldn’t wait to get out of there!” Marc exclaims.
“Whatever, dude,” another attorney, Paul Rios, comments. He’s a Latino man in his forties and specializes in immigration law. He’s between being portly and muscular and can honestly go either way. “Imagine growing up as one of the few Mexicans in Compton back in the 80’s. Yeah, there’s a dime a dozen Mexicans there now but back then? If I didn’t prove my loyalty, I would’ve been a goner.”
“It’s not how you start,” Marc holds up a beer and clinks it with Paul, “but how you finish.”
“Word.” Paul agrees.
“So do you have any advice for me?” I cautiously ask. “I could really use some.”
“Mmm…” A Filipina lawyer, Primalyn “Lyn” Medina, chimes in. She’s a petite woman in her forties and always wears her hair in a perfect French roll and red lippie. She specializes in employment law. “…watch your back from some of these ruthless bitches.”
My eyes widen at Lyn’s blatant honesty. I didn’t expect it from her. “Oh wow.”
“Girlfriend, I’ve seen some shit,” she nods, “the higher up you go, the worse it gets. They’ll sell you out for a cheeseburger. Real talk.”
My beer became harder to swallow. Is a legal career something I really want?
“You just have to fight it out. The best survive,” Lyn chews on a mozzarella stick, “and the others never cared that much.”
“Don’t forget to tell her the real truth, Lyn,” another lawyer, Yun Hee Ha, gives her opinion. She’s an older Korean woman with shiny black hair and a soft face. She often uses that to her advantage because I’ve heard she’s a real pit bull behind the scenes battling it out about discrimination.
She’s also a bit of a fashion plate, matching her accessories based on how shiny her wheelchair wheels are. “Some will fuck their way to the top. They are the worst ones.”
“Damn straight,” Lyn shakes her head before something catches her attention, “kinda like that one right there.”
I glance over to what Lyn is talking about and my heart bottoms out. Rosa showed up to Happy Hour – with Savior.
